Nikola's Solution
by Chapa'ai-hi
Summary: Nikola thinks he's found a way to revamp himself, but needs Helen's help... expect mild ruffling! :D


**~A.N~**

**Another random ficlet! This time a bit more shippyness! YAY! :D Set six months after Nikola became a mortal. :) **

**R&R :D**

_**Nikola's solution  
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"Helen, would you care to partake in an experiment of mine?"

"Well, Nikola that depends on what it is,"

"Helen, I would never do anything to harm you!"

"Well, what about Rome?" She raised an eyebrow.

"That's different, and anyway, I think this little test of mine will be fun for the both of us!" he smirked.

"Oh," she sighed heavily, "it's not some lewd scenario is it?"

"So, you admit it would be fun?" he grinned, "I _knew_ you liked me!"

"Nikola," she warned.

"Come now Helen, it's nothing like that!" she scoffed at him disbelievingly. "I would never put you in that sort of position," she was shocked to see sincerity in his eyes.

"Without good reason," he added, his smirk returning to his features.

Her shock turned into a soft chuckle and a slap came down onto his arm.

"Ow!"

"You had it coming" she glared. "Well, are you ever going to tell me about your so called 'experiment'."

"Oh yes," he grinned. " I have prepared a liquid to cure my aging. Now that I am a, a-"

"A mortal," she finished.

He shuddered slightly, "yes, now that I am_ that, _I am aging at a normal rate, from the age that I first turned into a vampire."

"Hmm, so what exactly is this solution?"

"It's a solution containing different proteins and plasmas but with the key ingredients of a mixture of my blood and a sample of my blood from when I was still a vampire." he started to get excited, wanting this experiment to work.

"Well, what do you need me for?"

"The particles in the liquid are small enough to seep into the skull once applied to the head. From there, the liquid is absorbed by the brain, and should recreate the effect of the source blood." He said with a childish eagerness about him, his voice quick.

"Okay, but you still didn't answer my question." She said simply.

"Well, this liquid reacts with my DNA, so I sorta can't apply it myself; I need you to do it." He said sheepishly.

"Okay, where is it?" She smiled; he looked shocked that she'd agreed.

He went over to the cluttered workbench and retrieved the vial of purple, runny liquid and handed it to her.

"You need to pour it on your hands a little at a time and rub it into my scalp, think of it like applying shampoo," he grinned cheekily.

She let out a breath of humour but did what he asked, if only to stop him complaining all the time. Him being a vampire again would do wonders for her migraines, no more whining.

Nikola sat down on a chair, facing away from her while she poured a little of the liquid onto her palm before raising her hand to his head hesitantly.

"Are you ready?" she said.

"Yep!" he said impatiently.

"Nikola, don't get your hopes up to soon, this might not work."

He scoffed, "Helen, are you doubting my genius?"

"Well, if you were that smart, you would have made something that was easier to consume, a drink maybe," she countered

"Well, what would have been the fun in a drink?" he smirked.

"Incorrigible!" she sighed.

She finally planted her hand onto the back of his head and massaged in the solution slowly. She felt him shiver under her touch and smirked.

"Having fun?" she laughed

"Much!" he shuddered again, stifling a moan as best he could, as she moved her hands to the top of his head. Continuing her movements until all of his head was covered in the stuff, his hair wet and sticking to his head, instead of its usual messiness. It reminded her of the style he had it in at Oxford.

She poured the last of the liquid onto her hand before rubbing it in just above his ear, lingering for a second. "All done," she put the empty vial down.

He took in a deep breath. "Thanks, now we just have to wait for the effects to work." He stood up and turned around to face her, she noticed he looked odd.

"Are you okay?" her brows furrowed as she examined his face.

"No, I'm fine; I theorized that the solution would make me tired as it made its way into my head. It's just a side effect."

She looked at him curiously as he sat down on the chair again, his head in his hands, leaning forwards.

She put a hand on his back comfortingly and he jumped. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I feel a bit wooz-yyy-" he said drowsily as he fell forwards to the floor.

"Nikola!" she tried to catch him, just managing to dampen his fall to the hard concrete. She put a finger over his pulse point on his neck; it was there, if not a bit fast. She sighed slightly, glad he was OK.

She lowered his head gently to the ground and knelt beside him, absentmindedly stroking the side of his face. She didn't know how long she had been sat there before Nikola started to stir.

"Aghh...my head," he moaned, raising a hand quickly to grasp the offending body part.

"Nikola," she breathed, removing her hand from his face, "Are you alright?"

"Mmmm," he groaned, opening his eyes through the pain to look her in the eye.

"You collapsed!"

"You know, I was wondering how I made it to the floor." He said sarcastically.

"Oh, you're fine." She laughed; he was back to his snarky self.

"No, I'm so hurt, you need to give me the kiss of life!" he smirked.

She laughed, "No chance!"

He pouted pathetically. "Well, it seems that I'm still human, I don't feel any different." He looked sad.

"Maybe it just takes a while to change your DNA?"

"How long have I been unconscious?"

"Uhh," she looked at her watch and grew wide eyed, had it really been that long? "An hour..."

"I was afraid of that, the solution should have had a near instant effect, if it hasn't worked by now..." he trailed off.

"Nikola, I'm sorry, you seemed so sure that this would work."

He stood up silently and went over to the desk across the room.

"If I could just modify the-"

"Nikola, you need to stop. I've hardly seen you for the past two weeks, you're so consumed in this project, you're forgetting to eat." She looked at him sympathetically and placed a hand gently on his forearm.

"It's just, I really thought this would work, in theory it should." He sounded defeated. He had been devamped for over 6 months and it was getting to him, everyone at the Sanctuary could see it. Helen had let him stay after it had happened; she thought he needed a friend.

"You know better than anyone that just because it should work, doesn't mean it will."

He turned to face her with sad grey-blue eyes. "I've nearly given up, I can't think of anything else!"

"Maybe if you stop searching, the answer will find you." She gave him a soft smile.

He nodded. "Well, I'm just gonna go sit in my own self sorrow, see you in a year or so." He started to walk away before he found himself wrapped tightly in Helen's arms.

She saw just how depressed he was; he needed a friend, just like he had done all those months ago. He fell into the embrace, his head landing on her shoulders and his arms snaking around her waist. They stood like this for a few minutes before Helen finally spoke.

"Let's go get some dinner, you must be famished" she smiled as she broke away from him, no matter how hard it was to do so.

He missed the contact immediately; he did so love her hugs, more so than her beautiful smiles.

"Thanks," he smiled genuinely and she smiled in return. "Okay, I am feeling rather drained. What's on the menu?"

**o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

**~A.N~**

**The shampoo is really just a way to get Helen to ruffle Nikola's hair! :D Hope you enjoyed!**

**And please review if you get the time, it means so much to me! XxxX**


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